Every now and then, a little voice starts mumbling in the back of your head, insisting you must do something to relieve the boredom, blow off some steam, impress the cagers, reinforce the negative image of bikers everywhere, and in general, be a public nuisance. Well, bucko, it’s your lucky day! The following are step by step instructions for the perfect burnout.
Come on, ya know ya want to ...
- Make sure the front tire is dry and the pavement is clean and level.
- Put the bike into 2nd gear. Two out of three experts agree that use of 2nd (sometimes 3rd for the classic burn & go) reduces stress on the driveline. You'll get a longer, more controllable burn as an extra bonus.
- Grab the front brake (a two finger grip is recommended) & lock it, and push down on the frontend to get weight off the rear end.
- Lift your butt just slightly off the seat (not all, just a little), and keep your feet firmly planted in a flatfoot stance. If you don't, you'll end up sitting down hard and the bike will fishtail too much with unpredictable results.
- Roll the rpm's up to 4200-5000 & hold.
- FULL CLUTCH DUMP, no feathering, no hesitation, no reservation - just let go and hang on. Use two fingers here too so you can keep a good grip on the handlebar.
Here's where it get's interesting, and a bit of practice is in order. The bike may JUMP, dance, do a little jig, maybe even a little hippity hop .... If this happens, one of the following occurred:
(1) You didn't push down on the frontend.
(2) Your RPMs were a little low.
(3) The front brake was not locked.
(4) You didn't do a FULL clutch dump.
(5) All of the above
Here's where you fine tune your performance. Don't panic & pull in the clutch, just correct with higher RPMs and keep the brake locked. If you do panic, just pull in clutch, and all should be well once things stop moving. If you do get out of shape (oh, say, doing a 180 degree pivot swing & scaring the crap out of everyone within spitting distance) - just pull in clutch.... once you get stabilized, make like you meant to do that and try it again.
Now, assuming you got this far successfully, bring the RPMs up quickly after doing the clutch dump. Stabilize at about 5000 RPM for the initial burn - anything more and you get too much sliding around. The RPMs and your weight on seat control the stability of the burnout. Vary your RPMs while you're trying to stabilize - you'll just know when it feels right. Use the upper part of your thighs & your butt (still lightly touching the seat) to control what sliding you do get. If the bike is sliding just a bit, keep your RPMs steady and just push the bike over to center again. Too much sliding means too much RPMs, and you’ll want to feather the revs down a bit for better side to side control .
- Hold the burnout for approximately 3-6 seconds. You get bonus points for cackling and screaming like a banshee at this point. Rule of thumb is to get at least a coupla seconds of smoke, then let up. Resist the urge to keep the tire smoking till it pops (you know you want to) unless you’ve already made arrangements for a replacement. Even then you’ll want to keep enough tread on to make it to the shop, unless you LIKE pushing 800 pounds! Oh, and trying to get a bike with a shredded tire onto a trailer is not easy (don’t ask me how I know …).
EXTRA CREDIT
Instead of shutting down, why not finish off with a runout, assuming you’ve got clear road in front of you? Keep the revs up, put more weight on the seat, and gradually release the front brake. The trick here is to keep the bike straight. You WILL need to practice this part and you WILL go out of line some till you get your reflexes up to snuff. Be prepared to pull in clutch should you start getting sideways - even if you’re just a little off line, when the tire starts to grab, it will really snap.....
Notes from the novice mechanic:
"I want to install the D3k and from what I'm reading it is a pretty basic install. My question is what else do I need to do, or what other things do I need to be concerned about if this is the only thing I do for now and what kind of added performance can I expect? I'd like to do the baron BAK and the Vmax differential but any hands on by me for this is way out of my league. Also I've read that changing out the cam with a venture cam is something I may need to consider. I also understand I need to have a different exhaust system to make the combination of everything else gel. I guess what I'm looking for is the list of things I can do initially, the parts I need and any recommndation as to what I can expect for a price if I have a shop do the work. I have inquired locally and they came up with about $4000. with their parts and labor. This price doesn't include the rear end and they figured labor at a $1000. plus. Is this a fair price or are they way out of line? "
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I'm the last guy to ask about shop prices. Haven't had a bike serviced by a "pro" in 30 years at least. I would hope their quote included all the optional valve and cam work you mentioned, and maybe gold plating ... Most shops don't deal too much with performance mods, so a lot of times, they don't even know what to quote. Best I can tell ya, if I had to pay the kind of money you're talking, I'd be tempted to make do. The stock Royal is still a fine machine right out of the box.
Parts should run $1000-$1500 for the "Big Three", and I can't imagine the labor running over 6 hours max to do the carbs (including synch) and D3k. You can do the exhaust yourself, and if you've ever changed your rear tire, the final drive swap is easy. The shop should charge maybe one extra hour over what they'd ticket you for a rear tire installation if you have them install the modified final drive.
I'd strongly suggest you dive in and do the work yourself. What better way to learn the machine than to have parts of it all over the garage?
NOTE: One big problem you might face is getting the parts if you wait too long. The Royal is out of production, and it's already getting hard to find CLAPP and such. If your heart is set on doing the mods, you should consider buying the parts ASAP, then do the installations as time allows. If for any reason you didn't actually use some of the items, I don't imagine you'd have any problem selling them on the forums at a later date.
That said, the mods should be done in the following order:
- GET THE MANUAL!! - P/N LIT-11616-10-67 ($40)
- First off, junk the stock mufflers. Nothing you do will help if the beast can't breathe. This gives you a chance to play with wrenches and build a bit of confidence. Lotsa different ways to go here, but the cobra slash cut is one of the more popular pipes, and you definitely get the most bang for the buck on these. These are mufflers only and use the stock header pipes. Call it $400 ...
Next is the carbs and air box. Can't get around this, and you'll probably need to get some help here. The Bigfoot is cheaper ($100), but the Baron's BAK ($300) is better for the novice wrench because it's all there. There's a good article on the ISRA web for the BigFoot, and the pics show lotsa detail for the BAK too.
Click HERE for the BigFoot article on the ISRA website ...
Now that the beast can breathe, you've got a coupla options. You can switch these if you like and still get good results.
- The Dyna D3K. You're probably gonna hit the rev limiter more often after doing the pipes and carbs. That combo really brings out the kid in ya. The D3K allows you to customize the ignition curve for your bike. Best results are with Curve 4 and a rev limiter set at either 6500 or 6750 if you're not doing anything other than the "big three". ($300)
Click HERE for more detail on the D3k ...
- The VMax final drive swap. Just did this on mine (last step for me), so I can't give you a personal before/after impression on this mod other than second hand experience on other people's bikes. Best I can say from talking to people who did it, is you'll never go back. Don't let a local shop do the actual gear swap - it takes special tools and skills, and I doubt they'd do it right. Let Furber do it for ya, and ya can't go wrong. ($300). John charges a $300 core in addition to the base price if you don't ship him your final drive first, but that's refundable when he gets the old one back. This would be the way to go if you decide to let the shop install the modified final drive. Once again, if you've ever changed your own rear tire, you can easily do the installation yourself.
Click HERE for more detail on the VMax gear swap ...
All of the above is basic wrenching unless you're really mechanically challenged. Take it easy, do things in order, stay organized when tearing stuff down (especially the carbs), read the book, and you really can't go wrong. Cams, valves, springs, etc are nice, but more hard core - most people (including me) figure the "Big Three" is more than enuf to wake up the beast within.
Vmax final drive gearing for Royal Stars and Ventures is available on an exchange basis at www.RMSportMax.com.
(saves BIG money over buying a new VMAX rear, and swapping the gears into a RS housing...) Gives more passing/pulling power for 5th gear, especially in 2 up/loaded with gear/trailer/sidecar/any combo thereof/ situations.
So, what all is involved in making this magic happen ??
The point should be made that you need to be comfortable with wrenching, have a good selection of tools, and get a kick out of half the bike being strewn over the garage floor. Not a problem for me (and everytime I take the beast down, there's less and less leftover parts ...
** Psss ... there's 20 pages in the Yammer Hammer service manual which detail the mojo magic required to rebuild the final gear case. You dont' want an inexperienced dealer trying to do the job for you and you certainly don't want to try it yourself. John knows his stuff on these rigs and has all the shims, tools, gauges, and whatnot to do it properly.
NOTE: You'll hear several terms describing the parts we're talking about. Rear end, rear unit, pumpkin, "punkin", etc. The Yammer Hammers call it a final gear case, so I'll stick with that.
SO WHY DO IT ??
Some V-Max owners love the Royal gears. Changes their final ratio in the opposite direction, so the engine doesn't redline as quickly and can cruise at speed with less rpms. Ours are just the opposite - we need more rpm in 4th and 5th gear. The swap is an easy DIY - not even a project, but I would caution anyone who tries to change the ring and pinion gears themselves. You have to know what you are doing to get it right. Some will question the accuracy of the ODO/Speedo after changing the gears. Not a problem - the sensor counts teeth on the original driveshaft pinion gear and sends that info to the ignition and speedo.
LET'S GET ON WITH IT !!
Click HERE for a schematic from the factory service manual.
To take the final gear case off all you do is take off the rear wheel, unbolt the case from the swing arm (4 nuts) and pull it off (of course unbolt the speedo sensor). Then a real good snatch to pull the driveshaft out, and you can then put it back into the universal joint up in the swing arm. When you get the updated unit back from the shop, you push it back up on the shaft and put the nuts back on, but not tight. Next step is to put the axle back into the swingarm and through the diff housing to line it up properly and then tighten up the 4 nuts. No shimming or anything to do.
TOOLS NEEDED:
12, 14, 15, 17, and 28 mm sockets & wrenches, , 3" extension and universal socket for the acorns, 8mm allen, phillips driver, torque wrench, and the ever popular harley hammer.
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE:
- Depending on the exhaust, might have to take that off. I got Cobras, and I was able to sneak the axle out between the pipes.
- Helps to remove the rear caliper and mount. Even handier to remember how the hell the da*n thing goes together again ...
- Worth mentioning, the speed sensor's a tight fit. I had to pry mine out, always keeping in mind how expensive a replacement would be ifn I screwed it up. A good snatch only works right if you wiggle it a bit, with a bit of the old in and out ...
- A thin bit of lithium on the driveshaft pinion gear, spline, and the o-ring on the sensor prior to assembly is probably a good idea.
- My driveshaft needed a bit of persuasion to release from the final drive. Figured put the acorns back on the studs, a few taps with the harley hammer, and I'm good to go. Figured wrong. The acorns are very soft in the crown, and flattened right out. Best bet is to mount the shaft in a padded vise, then use a board and hammer on the mounting flange to complete the removal. Need I say, be ready to catch the final drive??
UNBELIEVABLY IMPORTANT TO READ & HEED !!
All, It is very very very important that you make abso-freakin-lutley sure that the drive shaft is engaged into the front yoke BEFORE you bolt the diff back up. This is not automatic, and it is possible to bolt it all back up wrong. You may need to get a flashlight look straight into the drive shaft tube to verfiy the shaft is engaged properly. Gravity works against you here. I was warned about this beforehand and I did it wrong anyway. After you are done, but before you start the bike, put it in gear and check that the rear wheel does NOT rotate. If it does, start again. Having said that though, if I can do it anyone can.
Something I found that worked? Take a piece of romex, strip the paper and ground wire, then form the remaining two wires into a vertical "V". Lift the u-joint with a piece of rod stock, slide the romex into the driveshaft tunnel and under the joint, remove the rod stock, and slide the driveshaft home. Once it engages the u-joint, slide the romex out and seat the driveshaft completely. The shaft should spin freely in neutral, but lock in gear.
SWINGARM ANYONE ??
When doing the changeout, it is a GREAT time to lube and inspect the swing arm pivots, just pull the big sucker bolt/nuts and the arm is free for inspection and lubing of the pivots, AND THEY PROBABLY NEED IT !!
A quality air impact wrench and at least a 5 HP compressor is almost a must here to loosen the pivot bolts. Jumping up and down on a six foot prybar don't make it (don't ask me how I know... ). You'll need a 30mm deep axle socket for these monsters, and they are treated with thread lock. Chances are good you'll need to replace both bearings and seals - you might get away with just the seals, so keep your fingers crossed and maybe save $50. Be real honest about evaluating the original bearing condition, and a new set can have an appreciable impact on ride quality. Mine were both dry, and the left bearing on the driveshaft tunnel was actually rusty. I tried cleaning the bearings, but both vibrated badly when I spun them up with the air hose. While you're in there, now's a good time to clean and lube the shock pivot bearings.
The little buggers are in. What a story. First and foremost if your going to do this mod, READ DA MANUAL, THINK about it, READ it again, put the manual in your bathroom and when your spending a little "quiet time" with yourself READ IT SOME MORE".
Kudos and a hat's off to Mike King (StarHubby) for submitting this article ...
Ordered the parts from an out of town Yammie guy that gave me the advice I needed to make the big decision. Get the call "their in", at the request of the parts store, I drove 30 miles for the pick up. Yamaha, short shipped the springs. I was so pissed, I told them to cancel the order. I don't mind the short ship but they could have checked the paperwork before I launched.
Called my local Yammie parts guy. Told him I wouldn't cheat on him anymore. A week later, no problem. Springs are in, tip the parts guy ten bucks. Start tearing down the bike, did not read the book. Pop off that hose with the valve covers off - water in the engine - that will be a few additional oil changes, thank you much. (Please DO NOT ask me what oil I use...I'm not going there)
Then I built a tool to compress the valve springs (during which I was attacked by the neighbors cat, but that's another story). By the way, the local Ace hardware store is a great for assembling a bunch of do dads for this. After the clerk sees you walking around, holding hardware and mumbling to yourself he knows your in brain cell figuring-out mode and just leaves you alone.
Download a schematic for DAS TOOL in Acrobat format. You will need Acrobat Reader to view or print this file.
So after building the immaculate valve spring contraption. I was sooo proud of myself until I started wrenching down the first spring. POP, my homemade rig broke. My trusty JB Weld failed, no problem... off to Home Depot and a 45 minute buy analysis on what brazing rig I should get, settle on the AUTOMATIC Push button start MAPP gas solution. Flash back to high school shop class, line up the rig, going for the cherry glow and tack her her good. Remove the hot bolt, drop it on the floor so it can cool down. Finish the job and look for the bolt....its gone...look some more, still no bolt, after 20 minutes I look on the bottom of my shoe, bolt melted into my sole.....Honey, I found it. She comes into the garage and notices my padagona is partially melted. "Are you qualified to operate that flame producing device?" Her eyes roll back when I explain the principle of operation while showing her how the auto trigger helps make fire.
Cruising through the swap out, second to the last spring, fingers are getting weak and piinnnggg there goes the valve key somewhere into the bowels of the motor. Right about now I'm talking to the BIG MAN. Motorcycle mod boy to GOD, I heard you can build a universe, perhaps could ya help me out with this...uh... minor problem. Flash light up...wait, I can see it, right next to the camshaft chain..a little tough to reach....there it is...almost got (GOD is giggling right about now) - tink - now its gone bye bye. Over to Roadie boy neighbor for the anti gravity machine, i.e. one deluxe mag-o-net. One swipe (are the planets in alignment) - CLICK - and the ZEN Motorcycle Maintenance God was a smiling on me. Yea baby!!!!! Hands clasp together and eyeballing the sky. Did a little dance when I retrieved that bastard.
Now the dreaded CAMS alignment (now folks, I was reading my ass off and I still got it wrong) Lined them up, put it together, cycle the crank, chain jumps the sprocket slams into the plastic water pipe thingie, Order more parts (the guy now thinks I'm a wack job). Finally get her rebuilt, start her up and did you know a Royal star will fire on one cylinder and the sound of valves opening when their not suppose to....well it will make you sick....push her back into the garage dive right back into it and check my brain alignment, maybe I'm off a few degrees. Roadie neighbor comes over and NOW I have to READ THE BOOK, (don't want this guy to get the best of me) all I can say is the little holes for the rear and the BIG holes for the front. (if any of you break your motor down this far that phrase will become crystal clear to you). The rear was 180 degrees out. Reassemble once again and SHE fired right up. Funny thing about wrenching on your ride, what took half a day when you started the project, you can complete in about an hour. If you asked me about adjusting cams, and swapping springs a month ago, you would have got a deer in the headlight look, but now....hey I can do that.
I'll finish her up next week after I do the shim math (do not get drunk and look at the shim chart, you'll hurl for sure) and report on the track to 8,000 rpms.